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ED questions ex-cricketer Shikhar Dhawan in illegal betting apps case
Officials said Dhawan arrived at the ED headquarters around 11am and that his statement was being recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)
Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan on Thursday appeared for questioning before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering probe against illegal online betting platforms, which allegedly used multiple platforms for surrogate advertisements and to collect funds from the users.
Officials said Dhawan arrived at the ED headquarters around 11am and that his statement was being recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for endorsing a sports betting app involved in illegal practices.
The ED last month questioned another cricketer, Suresh Raina. It has been looking into the links of celebrities with the betting apps, any endorsement fees earned, and the mode of communication between them. In July, the agency called the Google and Meta representatives for questioning as part of this probe.
The agency is probing multiple illegal online betting platforms. It has questioned tech firms, media representatives who received money in the form of advertisements from them.
Platforms with alleged illegal betting and gambling links, including advertisements for them on various social media outlets and app stores, are under the ED scanner.
In 2023, the Union information and broadcasting ministry issued four advisories to newspapers, broadcast, entertainment channels, publishers of online news and current affairs content, online advertisement intermediaries (like Google and Facebook), and social media platforms to not advertise online betting platforms.
Eminent personalities in the fields of entertainment and sports endorsed them despite instructions from the government that advertisements of online betting platforms are not permitted. Actors and sports persons are under the ED’s scanner, and could be summoned soon, said an officer.
People aware of the matter cited the information gathered and said multiple betting platforms banned over the years still run their operations under changed names, and celebrities and social media influencers promoted them.
“These platforms violate multiple laws and directions by the Indian government, including tax evasion, money laundering, and the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), as money is transferred out of the country illegally. It is estimated that around 220 million Indian users are engaged on betting apps, and 110 million of these are regular users,” said the officer.
Over 1.6 billion visits were recorded on illegal betting websites or apps in just the first three months of 2025. The online betting market in India is estimated to be worth around $100 million, the first ED officer said. “The estimates also suggest that top betting apps are evading ₹27,000 crore in taxes annually.”
The government has issued 1,524 blocking orders against illegal gambling websites and mobile apps between 2022 and June 2025, the electronics and information technology ministry told Parliament last month.
